Ministries

PARISH COUNCIL

The Parish Council is the local governing body of the parish of Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church. It is comprised of the Priest and a group of ten Orthodox Christians sacramentally in good standing with the Church. The members are elected for a two year term for the purpose of working with the priest to proclaim the Gospel and tend to the spiritual needs of the congregation. The Members of The Parish Council are:

Presbyter: Reverand Father Sarantis P. Loulakis

Officers

President: Chris Mandaleris

Vice president: Philip Vavalides

Treasurer: Rob Harrison

Assistant Treasurer: Clarke Gilliam

Secretary: Marshall Yandle

Council members

Maher Hana

Minerva Ross

Perry Savas

Mike Soufia

Cathrine Stuman

Staff

Church secretary: Donna Raxter

STEWARDSHIP

As Christian Stewards we are called to give back to God from the “first fruits” of our labor. We support our parish and her ministries in an intentional way and not with only what it left after everything else has been taken care of.

Christian Stewardship is…

…learning how to be a responsible and concerned caretaker of Christ’s Church; it is learning how to enjoy Church life and be happy in Church work., for in Her dwells the fullness of the Spirit of God.

…our active commitment to use all our time, talent and treasure for the benefit of humankind in grateful acknowledgment of Christ’s redeeming love.

…caring for the needs of others.

…offering one’s self to God as He offered Himself to us.

…what a person does after saying “I believe…”, as proof of that belief.

…devotion and service to God and His Church as persons, as families, as diocese/metropolis, as national Church and as Church universal.

ADULT MINISTRIES

ADULT BIBLE STUDY

The Bible study group meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM. If you are seeking the Truth and would like to learn more about the Scripture, please do join us. Please refer to the Sunday Bulletin for possible changes in the schedule.

CHANTERS

The chanters of The Dormition of the Theotokos serve the church through Byzantine hymnology for weekly liturgies, special holidays, and various Holy Sacraments of the Church. The chanters also lead the congretation in singing the Sunday Divine Liturgy.

PHILOPTOCOS

The Greek Orthodox Ladies Society is the philanthropic heart of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Philoptocos literally means "friends of the poor" and its mission is: to promote charitable, benevolent and philanthropic outreach, to preserve the sanctity of life and family, to perpetuate and promote our Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions. Our Philoptocos Chapter is very involved in aiding the poor, the destitute, the hungry and is ever ready to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the church. Women of all ages are encouraged to join this important ministry of the church.

YOUTH MINISTRIES

ALTAR BOYS

This ministry is designed for young men between the ages of 7-18, who wish to help the priest during the Divine Liturgy on Sundays, along with other sacred services during major Feast days. It requires a great deal of dedication on behalf of both the young men, as well as from their parents who transport them to church on Sundays. This is a most sacred ministry of the church. Acolytes are asked to arrive properly dressed (i.e. a white or light colored dress shirt, a tie, dress pants, and black dress shoes). The Divine Liturgy begins at 10 am. Acolytes should prepare themselves to receive Holy Communion as often as possible. As Christians we prepare by fasting on the appropriate days (i.e. Wednesdays and Fridays and/or throughout other festal periods) as well as limiting our thoughts, words, and actions to only those things that glorify God. We also fast completely on Sunday morning (boys under ten years of age may have some juice), not eating or drinking anything until we receive Holy Communion. Serving in the Holy Sanctuary is a privilege. These young men have shown responsibility and dedication to the Lord and His Church.

GOYA

GOYA is the ministry to the teenagers in the 7th through 12th grades. The mission and goal of GOYA is to lead our young people into experiencing the Holy Orthodox Faith and is based on Worship (Liturgia), Fellowship (Koinonia), Service (Diakonia) and Witness (Martyria). By developing a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and becoming active sacramental members of the Church, our young people will be equipped with the tools necessary to assist them in their journey toward salvation. GOYA meets once a month and also participates in study, social and athletic events.

SOPHIA ORTHI SUNDAY SCHOOL

Weekly Sunday school program during the school year, taking place after the children receive Holy Communion (and having heard the sermonette), with classes by age range. The philosophy of our Sunday School Program is based on a Christocentric approach, which prepares students with the principles of the Orthodox Faith, encouraging them to grow in God’s Service. Our program builds a solid foundation for the children of our community through exemplary lessons in the Teaching and Worship Practices of the Greek Orthodox Christian Faith. A curriculum for the entire year for each class (excluding Baby & Toddler) will be given to every student/parent via email at the start of the of the ministry in September. Attendance is greatly rewarded!

Other Sunday School Programs:

Christmas Program: Every year, the youth of our parish present a Christmas Program on the 3rd Sunday in December to share the Nativity story - the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Program includes scripture readings, hymns, and the Nativity story presented by Sunday school children.

Saturday of Lazarus: On Saturday of Lazarus, our parish will celebrate a family day with special activities for everyone. Following the Divine Liturgy and a Lenten waffle breakfast, we engage in several activities: folding palms, decorating eggs for Pascha, decorating the church with palms, and ensuring the church grounds are ready for Holy

HELLENIC DANCE

Music, dance, and other artistic expressions reflect the real experience of a culture. Dressed in vibrant costumes, accompanied by authentic music, the OPA dancers capture the richness and elegance of traditional Greek folk dancing, while building bonds amongst each other and within the community, fostering fellowship. Greek dancing is a cornerstone of the church’s annual Greek festival and other events, and all children are encouraged to participate!

VACATION CHURCH SCHOOL

Vacation Church School is a summer program to provide our Youth with a fun, enriching opportunity to connect with each other and the Church to grow in their faith during the summer break from Sunday School. Details will be announced annually in the late Spring.

YOUTH SUNDAY

On designated Sundays, we will showcase the youth of our parish, as they will have an opportunity to: prepare the prosphoro for the Liturgy, be ushers, read the Epistles, present their St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival speeches/essays/poems, host coffee fellowship, along with other surprises. This is a wonderful opportunity to show that our youth are an integral part of our parish—that the youth are our parish!

Visit the Online Chapel for more daily readings, hymns, a monthly calendar of saints and feasts, and more.

Our Faith

WorshipO Come, let us Worship and bow down before our King and God.
O Come, let us worship and bow down before Christ, our King and God.
O Come, let us worship and bow down to Christ Himself, our King and God. Learn more»